San Rafael, CA – Local community organizations working to make the many benefits of park and open space visitation known to a wider audience are invited to apply for competitive grants totaling $116,400, through a program established by Marin County Parks.
The second year of the Breathe Community Grant Program (Respira in Spanish) is funded by Measure A, otherwise known as the Marin Parks, Open Space, and Farmland Preservation Transactions and Use Tax Ordinance of 2012. The grant program is designed to foster partnerships with community organizations that lead to more Marin residents – especially the underserved – visiting and enjoying Marin County’s parks and open space preserves.
Letters of inquiry will be accepted through February 27, followed by a review and selection period lasting several months. Grants will be awarded in partnership with the Parks and Open Space Commission and announced to the community following approval of grant agreements by the Marin County Board of Supervisors.
This grant program supports:
- Expanding opportunities to access and enjoy Marin County parks and open space preserves
- Bringing Marin County Parks’ outreach and programming into communities with limited access to these programs and public lands
- Overcoming barriers, such as transportation and language, that prevent access to parks, preserves and programs
Grants focus on organizations that provide programs to underserved, high-risk, or vulnerable populations in Marin and promote health, wellness or environmental education in Marin’s communities. Eligible applicants include a town, city, county, 501(c)3 nonprofit, special district, joint powers authority, community group, community-based organization, or emerging or existing coalition.
All qualifying criteria and funding restrictions, along with detailed information about the program and grant decision-making process, are available in the Breathe/Respira Measure A Community Grant Program Overview on the Measure A webpage.
Parks and open space preserves across Marin are being cared for like never before thanks to Measure A. To find out more about the range of benefits this tax measure is bringing to your favorite outdoor places, check out the most recent Marin County Parks annual report at
www.marincountyparks.org.